Life-saving apparatus.



` ,To all whom 'it muy concern:

unrrnn ser...

TES

rarinsr prision.

LOUIS DLIA, OF SEAITLE, WASHINGTON.

,` V p LIFE-SAYING' APPARATUS. i

VBe it known that l, Loris Drlilrrra, citif/.en of the United States,residing at Seattle, `in the county of King and State of Washington,have invented `certain new and useful improvements in Life-SavingApparatus, of which the following is'a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a frontperspective view of my invention shown in operative position upon aperson; Fig. 2 isa like rear view; l*1 ig. 3 is a fragmentarysectional-'view ,1' and lD i g. si is a detail view of a [ish guard.

This invention has for its object the preservation of human lite whilein the water and contemplates not only the protection against drowning,but also from the onslaught of iavenous fish.

With these ends in view the invention consists in the novelconstruction, adaptation and combination of de-.

l vices as hereinafter described and pointed out in the appended claims.

.In the said drawings, the reference numeral 5 designates trousershaving desirably, feet 6 formed integral therewith. The trousersaresupported by shoulder straps, not shown in the drawings, and itswaist band is -oi-an elastic material or otherwise formed so as to makea non-leakable fit with the wea-rers body thereat.

7 is a blouse, or shirt, having arms 8 which terminate y in elasticWrist bands 9 and is provided with simil-.rr

bands 10 and ll at the neck and waist, respectively.

12 isa helmet adapted to'entire'ly incluse the head and is provided withan elastic neck portion 13.

` All of the Aaforesaid parts are of water-prooi' material, or of fabriclined or treated with such material so as to be impervious to Water.

ertures 17 at the upper end of its peripheral wall whichisdesirablyformed with an annular inwardly extending V-shaped depressionso that such apertures may be' `ylisposed obliquely 'and be less liableto admit water from the Wave swash thanif'presented at right anglestheretof A supplemental air passage may likewise be had through adrainage tube 18 when its orifice 19 is held above lthe surface of thesurrounding water. This tube is connected to the helmet at such a placeas to receive any water which has been admitted thereinto,

and, when unemployed, 'is closed by dtachable springj` Clins 20.Directly in front of the persons eyes inthe helinet isa suitabletransparent pane 21, such as isin- I, glass or Celluloid, and throughwhich an outlook is had.

Specification of lLetters Patent.

22 represents a vest openablein iront and having arm holes vZ3, andstraps 24 and buckles 25, or equivalents, for securing the saine about,the trunk and overA the aforesaid blouse'. Secured to the vest, andprincipally at the back, are buoyant bodies '2G which may be of blocksof cork or herinetically tight cans of metal and are desir-ablyconnected to the vest bysewing covering cloth s thereabout andfurnishing marginal [laps 2i? which can be'conveniently sewed to thevest.

the breadth of the vest proper l form the epaulettes 28 to which theextremities ot' the outermost such bodies can be fastened withoutmaterially interfering with movements ot the arms. The Vpurpose ofplacing, as aforesaid, the greater number of the buoyant bodies at theback is to normally support the person in a for-v wardlyv inclinedposture suitable for swimming and which posture may, if desired, bealtered by a suitable positioning of the limbs.

The vest is 4provided with a number of pockets 29, 29, for the receptionof provender, bottled beverages, and various devices which will bepresently described.

Fitted loosely over the aforesaid trousers is a net-work comprisingankle belts 30, .knee belts 31, a hip 'belt S2 and longitudinal strips33 and is heldin place by foot stirrup straps b4, secured to the lowerends, and supporting straps 35, connect-ing the hip-belt with a waistbelt 36. Attached to and protruding outwardly from the strips 3b' andthe straps 3 4 are sharp pointed. barbs 37 for the purpose ot'protecting the legs from being bitten by a man-eating shark commonlyfound in certain portions of the globe. To protect the remainder of thebody,` harping irons, see Figs. 1 and 4, are provided and are adapted,when distended, to be thrust into the mouth of an attacking iish.

The harp'ing irons would desir-ably be carried in one of the saidpockets, as 29', of the vest. VAtei represent-s a knife carried in asheath 45 attached to the belt 36, and may be utilized for a numberof'purposes, such as in offensive or defensive uses in the water, or invarious employments after leaving the water.`

The operation and advantages ot' the invention will, it is thought, beunderstood from the foregoing, and furnishes means to preserve a personslife against dangers which have heretofore'been believed to beinsurmountable as well as against the ordinary dangers of the Aseabrought about by shipwrecks or the Having described my invention, what lclaim as new and desireto secure by Letters-Patent, is-

1. 1n life saving apparatuspthe combination with the water-proof.garments including trousers and blouse, and a vest having buoyant bodiesconnected thereto, of a network adapted to be drawn over said trousersand provided Iwith a plurality of barbs, and means to secure saidnetwork in place.

` 2. In life saving apparatus, the combination with the Patented aug.ao, i907.

In order that the upper row oi said bodies may be extended beyond igagging over said trousers and supported'from-said vest.

Vstrips and foot strrups connected Vto said ankle belts.

water-,proof garments including trousers, blouse and liell met,`and avest having buoyant bodies connected thereto, of a net-work adapted tobe'drawn o'ver said trousers and provided with a plurality of barbs,land menus to se'cure said net-work in place. 4

3. A life saving apparatus, comprising a vest having arnl holes andextensionstwhich surround-such arm holes andproject outwardly beyond theshoulders of the wearer, buoyant'bodles secured to said vest on the backthereof and to said extensions, trousers, and protecting means en- V 4.A' life saving apparatus, comprising a vest, trousers, a-waist belt, ahip belt, supporting straps connected to said to said hip belt, anklebelts 'connected to said longitudinal l A life saving apparatusembodying a hellnet formed with a turret,` said turret having,I a closedtop und being formed with an annular V-shaMdepresslon in its peripheralwall and having apertures formed in the upper portion f said depressionto be thereby obliquely disposed.

(LA life saving apparatus embodying a helmet formed 7. 4 life savingapparatus embodying trousers, a vest,`

longitudinal barbed strips supported at one end from the foot of'thewearer andat the opposite end from said vest,

and barbed ankle -and knee belts engaging' said strips.

8. A life saving apparatus embodying trousers; a vest,

anda barbed net work comprising;l longitudinally and laterally extendingstrips adapted to be drawn over said' trousers. l 'In testimony whereofI afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses. v

I-.UIIS ll'lILIA.

Witnesses:

IIEnIu-z Btnxns,

LoUIs B. MAxsoN.

